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A
second miracle through the intercession of our Founder, Bl.
Gaetano Errico, has gained final approval in the process for
canonization in July. In preparation for the canonization, the
following is a reflection on his human personality and spiritual
teaching.
Gaetano Errico was a man of great simplicity.
Just meeting him, one was filled with serenity and
consolation. He had a
great appreciation for human nature as our measure of our
knowledge of God. It was
clear to him that it was not humanity searching for God, but God
searching for humanity.
For him, God’s “yearning to spread the Divine love in the hearts
of men” became the hinge around which his spiritual life
revolved. “God loves us
as much as He loves Himself,” he taught.
Gaetano’s response to God’s love….
He loved God without any expectation of recompense or reward.
He wrote, “ We must love God simply because He deserves
our love and we will never be able to love Him as much as he
deserves.”
Sharing his faith…
To describe God’s love and willingness to forgive sin, he
compared God’s love to an immense ocean and each of us to a
small boat with nothing but water and the far horizon.
You have to trust your life to the water and that all will be
fine. When his own life
was slipping away, he prayed, “Lord, I trust in you and I know I
will not be lost.” He
departed from this earth with full abandonment to God’s all
powerful love.
In his teaching on forgiveness, he stressed God’s knowledge of
human weakness…”Faults of fragility do not offend God.
It is those that happen with our full willingness that
wound the heart of God.”
“Do not rehash past sins.”
“Life is a battlefield.
The fight will cease at the end of life.
Do not be discouraged when faults and passions return
when you least expect.
Aim for great things for God.
Do not be afraid. God loves you and is yearning for your
love.”
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Blessed Gaetano Errico
IN LOVING MEMORY....
We feel especially blessed when we are chosen by the family of a
deceased friend or benefactor to be the recipient of memorial
gifts in that person's name. It
is a thoughtful way to honor the wishes of the deceased by
continuing their support of a cause that was particularly
meaningful to them. You
can also ensure this for yourself by remembering our
congregation in your will.
To do so, please note our legal name:
Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Contact
address: 2249 Shore Road, P.O. Box 189, Linwood, NJ 08221.
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